Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Sunday announced the new edition of the Palestinian electoral law, which was given adjustments favorable to Abbas' Fatah against the rival Hamas in the future elections.

Abbas ratified the Palestinian elections law from being half proportional and half constituencies to become fully proportional.

The proportional system means that a list of candidates is presented by each competing party or movement, and the Palestinians all over the territories will be asked to vote for the list.

The constituency system is that each district in Gaza and the West Bank prepares a list of candidates and the residents of each district vote for the list.

During last elections in January 2006 where the two systems were followed, Abbas' Fatah movement did very well in the proportional system but suffered a great loss in the constituencies system, Palestinian observers said.

Palestinian voters balloted for a 66-candidate list in the proportional system while another 66 candidates have to be elected in the constituencies. The Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) is comprised of 132 members.

Hamas defeated Fatah overwhelmingly in 2006 legislative elections, during which it won a large majority in the district voting prior to the end of the national voting.

Meanwhile, Fawzi Barhoum, a spokesman for Hamas, told reporters in Gaza that his movement which controls the Gaza Strip since mid June, rejects Abbas' decree and considers it as "illegal."

"It aims at depriving Hamas movement from joining any future legislative elections," said Barhoum.

Abbas, for his part, insisted that he has the right to amend the electoral law.

"It is my right as a president to legislate laws and decisions that are called decrees. These decrees are legal, as long as the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) is not able to convene," Abbas said in a press conference held Sunday.

"If the PLC is able to convene, then it would be its right to pass my decree or reject it," said Abbas.

The Presidential decree also said the candidate should be committed to the declaration of independence made in November 15, 1988 in Algeria, and should be committed to the Palestinian basic law.

The overhaul of the law was seen as the latest measure taken by Abbas in competing with the rival Hamas, which stands against his power in Gaza since its violent takeover the enclave in mid-June.

(Xinhua News Agency September 3, 2007)